APPLYING CHATGPT TO OPTIMIZE EFL TEACHING AND ASSESSMENT
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.46827/ejel.v10i1.6084Keywords:
ChatGPT, artificial intelligence (AI), EFL teaching, language assessment, Vietnamese educationAbstract
In the context of artificial intelligence (AI) increasingly influencing education, this study explored the integration of ChatGPT, a large language model, by OpenAI – into teaching and assessing English as a Foreign Language (EFL) in a university in Vietnam. Based on the theoretical frameworks TPACK, CLT, TBLT and Vygotsky’s social constructivism, the study surveyed 16 English lecturers with a survey questionnaire combining multiple-choice and open-ended questions on their familiarity, usage, and experience in teaching and assessing English when applying ChatGPT. The results showed that the majority of participants integrated ChatGPT into their teaching, especially in lesson planning, vocabulary development, communication task design, and writing assessment. The tool was rated as “quite accurate”; however, users still emphasized the important role of teacher supervision and adjustment. The study also noted moderate satisfaction with ChatGPT, while reflecting on challenges such as lack of training, barriers to access, dependency risks, and ethical concerns. Based on these findings, this study proposes practical recommendations for professional development, curriculum adaptation, and the issuance of guidelines for the ethical use of AI. In doing so, the study contributes to the growing discourse on AI applications in EFL education, especially in Vietnam, to optimize both teaching and assessment through technology platforms.
Article visualizations:
References
Bachman, L. F., & Palmer, A. S. (1996). Language testing in practice: Designing and developing useful language tests. Oxford University Press. Retrieved from https://octovany.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/language-testing-in-practice-bachman-palmer.pdf
Eshraghian, F., Hafezieh, N., Farivar, F., & de Cesare, S. (2024). AI in software programming: Understanding emotional responses to GitHub Copilot. Information Technology & People, 37(2), 456–478. https://doi.org/10.1108/ITP-01-2023-0084
Hymes, D. (1972). On communicative competence. In J. B. Pride & J. Holmes (Eds.), Sociolinguistics (pp. 269–293). Penguin. Retrieved from https://ia804509.us.archive.org/0/items/in.ernet.dli.2015.118785/2015.118785.Sociolongustics.pdf
Li, Y., Yuan, R., & Yu, S. (2024). Evaluating ChatGPT’s performance in EFL writing assessment: A comparison with human raters. Humanities and Social Sciences Communications, 11(1), Article 76. Retrieved from https://www.nature.com/articles/s41599-024-03755-2
Mahapatra, S. (2024). Impact of ChatGPT on ESL students’ academic writing skills: A mixed methods intervention study. Smart Learning Environments, 11(1), Article 13. Retrieved from https://slejournal.springeropen.com/articles/10.1186/s40561-024-00295-9
Mishra, P., & Koehler, M. J. (2006). Technological pedagogical content knowledge: A framework for teacher knowledge. Teachers College Record, 108(6), 1017–1054. Retrieved from https://one2oneheights.pbworks.com/f/MISHRA_PUNYA.pdf
Nguyen, T. M. H., & Nguyen, T. Q. (2023). Exploring the use of ChatGPT in enhancing EFL writing skills in Vietnamese universities. [Unpublished manuscript]. (Access via academic databases)
Pham, M. T., & Cao, T. X. T. (2025). The practice of ChatGPT in English teaching and learning in Vietnam: A systematic review. International Journal of TESOL & Education, 5(1). Retrieved from https://doi.org/10.54855/ijte.25513
Ravšelj, D., Keržič, D., Tomaževič, N., Umek, L., & Brezovar, N. (2025). Higher education students’ perceptions of ChatGPT: A global study of early reactions. PLOS ONE, 20(3), https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0315011
Vygotsky, L. S. (1978). Mind in society: The development of higher psychological processes (M. Cole, V. John-Steiner, S. Scribner, & E. Souberman, Eds.). Harvard University Press. https://doi.org/10.2307/j.ctvjf9vz4
Weigle, S. C. (2002). Assessing writing. Cambridge University Press. Retrieved from https://doi.org/10.1017/CBO9780511732997
Downloads
Published
Issue
Section
License
Authors who publish with this journal agree to the following terms:
- Authors retain copyright and grant the journal right of first publication with the work simultaneously licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution License that allows others to share the work with an acknowledgement of the work's authorship and initial publication in this journal.
- Authors are able to enter into separate, additional contractual arrangements for the non-exclusive distribution of the journal's published version of the work (e.g., post it to an institutional repository or publish it in a book), with an acknowledgement of its initial publication in this journal.
- Authors are permitted and encouraged to post their work online (e.g., in institutional repositories or on their website) prior to and during the submission process, as it can lead to productive exchanges, as well as earlier and greater citation of published work (See The Effect of Open Access).


